Modern refrigerators are designed to provide considerable latitude in how different kinds of foods are stored separately. Thus it is common to find in such refrigerators provisions for mounting a variety in shelves, bins and racks of different positions to separately support or contain assorted foods.
Certain types of foods, e.g., fruits and vegetables, are best contained in bin-like compartments rather than on flat shelves or racks. It is desirable to have the bins covered to reduce the drying out of their contents due to cold dry air circulation in the refrigerator. One solution is to locate the bins directly beneath shelves that provide convenient support for other items such as milk cartons, fruit juice containers and the like. The practical problem then becomes one of providing the user easy access to what is in the bin beneath the shelf while permitting the shelf to serve effectively as a lid over the contents of the bin when access is not desired.
Preferably, the rear of the bin is pivotally mounted to a support system in the refrigerator to enable the front of the bin to be lowered easily even under a heavy food load for convenient access by the user. When not so lowered, the bin should be capable of being positioned to most efficiently store its contents. Naturally, the bin should be easily removable by a user who wishes to clean it, and this process should not require the user to empty out a substantial portion of the rest of the refrigerator.
Movable storage compartments for refrigerators which tilt for access or are movable for cleaning exist, but none conveniently pivot open for access and release from the refrigerator for cleaning.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,978 to Thomson portions of an inner surface of a refrigerator door provide support and guidance to a lid-covered receptacle that pivots out with simultaneous movement of the lid to allow access to the receptacle contents.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,825 to Kahn, a lower foldable refrigerator shelf is nested directly beneath an upper shelf in a locked position and can be moved to a plurality of positions spaced from the upper shelf by means of sliding and pivoting links. There is a provision for locking the lower shelf positively when the shelf is in a folded position and continuously biasing it into a stable position when unfolded.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,717 to Harbour et al discloses insulated partitions for placement in the freezer section of a refrigerator. The partitions are movable to different positions to change the air flow path so that a meat-keeper compartment space is converted to supplemental freezing space.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,785 to Gentz discloses a rack adapted to be secured to the inside wall of a refrigerator door to provide easily accessed additional shelf space for the storage of food.
None of these containers is both conveniently located below a horizontal shelf and removable for cleaning. There accordingly remains a need for a food storage bin-like container that can be selectively mounted within a refrigerator, tilts to permit easy access to its contents, and is easily removable. The bin further should withstand sudden loads in case it is lowered abruptly, and should store its contents conveniently directly beneath a shelf.